The objectives of the course fall into the following three broad categories:

• A) Supporting human rights defenders:
  • ● Develop human rights defenders’ advocacy skills and expertise;
    • ● Enhance the ability of human rights defenders to engage strategically with the ACHPR and other international human rights mechanisms, as well as to develop diplomatic and civil society networks;
      • ● Improve the quality of NGO participation in the ACHPR, with a view to exert a greater influence on human rights foreign policy;
        • ● Share tools and knowledge, which human rights defenders can use to ensure their voice is central in international human rights decision-making; ● Develop advocacy strategies for specific issues, and to ensure follow-up and action on the ACHPR’s resolutions;
          • ● Increase human rights defenders’ understanding of the short, mid and longer-term opportunities provided by African human rights mechanisms;
            • ● Explore and compare the benefits of engagement with these mechanisms, and examine how advocates can use them to bolster their work at the national level;
              • ● Develop strategies and lobbying techniques to increase the potential of human rights defenders’ national and regional advocacy work.
                • B) Influencing the substantive outcomes of regional human rights mechanisms in a positive manner, including ACHPR resolutions and the work of ACHPR thematic and country specific human rights experts (such as the Special Rapporteur).
                  • C) Creating a peer group of human rights defenders working on a diverse range of issues, identifying best practice in advocating for human rights change, and exchanging lessons and experiences in conducting regional/international advocacy.

The course will be conducted in English and would comprise general lectures and discussion, debates, case studies, etc on the following broad themes:- an introduction to the African Human Rights System and Mechanisms;

– status of Human Rights and Democracy in Africa;

-the United Nations Human Rights System;

– networking, Advocacy and Lobbying Strategies, human rights monitoring and reporting; .

 

Only selected applicants will be contacted. The Organisers will meet the participation cost associated, flight, accommodation and conference package for the 3 days. . All applications should be submitted online. Deadline: 8 September, 2023.